Marseille

About Marseille

Marseille is France's largest port and an increasingly common Western Mediterranean turnaround, on the Provençal coast. Ships dock at Môle Léon Gourret in a working-port area; shuttles run to the Vieux Port, the old harbor ringed by cafés beneath Notre-Dame de la Garde basilica. Excursions run to Aix-en-Provence, Avignon, Cassis, or the Calanques National Park. MRS airport is about 45 minutes north.

• Marseille is the oldest city in France, founded around 600 BC by Greek settlers who called it Massalia — making it one of Europe's oldest continuously inhabited urban settlements.
• The manufacture of 'Savon de Marseille' (Marseille soap) began in the Old Port area some six centuries ago; the soap became so famous that a 1688 royal edict regulated its production.
• Marseille is France's second-most populous city and its largest port — the Grand Port Maritime de Marseille (GPMM) is the second-largest Mediterranean port and fifth-largest in Europe by total traffic.
• The iconic Notre-Dame de la Garde basilica, perched on the city's highest point at 162 m, is known locally as 'la Bonne Mère' (the Good Mother) and serves as both a spiritual and navigational landmark.
• Marseille was designated a European Capital of Culture in 2013, drawing global attention to its vibrant arts scene and diverse Mediterranean heritage.